This invention relates to label dispensers and particularly a dispenser for dispensing labels from a backing strip upon which the labels are mounted with a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing on the labels, the labels being adapted to be peeled away from the backing strip by sharply reversely bending the backing strip over an edge. The use of address labels having a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing on the labels has become increasingly popular. The labels are sold in rolls with the labels being carried by a backing strip. One of the more popular types of housings or dispensers for such rolls of address labels has been the use of cardboard housings which are folded flat so they can be sent through the mail and thereafter assembled into a housing by the user. Examples of such type dispensers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,341,368--Flood and 2,838,171--Kaspar. The cardboard dispensers leave something to be desired particularly in regard to ease of assembly by the user and also durability once assembled. Label dispensers with plastic housings have also been utilized such for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,140--Cole. All of these dispensers have the disadvantage that after the used backing strip has been discharged from the dispenser the backing strip dangles freely outside of the housing and thus must be torn off or otherwise disposed of. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,276,297--Flood discloses a label dispenser having an internal take-up roll for having the used backing strip wound thereon. However, the wheel for operating the take-up roll is disposed externally of the housing and does not provide a label dispenser which is easily packaged for mailing to customers. Furthermore, the label dispenser disclosed in this patent is of relatively complicated construction and thus increases the cost of manufacture.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a label dispenser of simple but study construction with only one moving part and that moving part being confined within the housing of the dispenser. By reason of this construction the dispenser can be easily packed for shipment to the customer and minimize any damage to the dispenser during shipment.
By reason of my improved design for the label dispenser the used backing strip is automatically collected and stored within the housing as the strip is unwound from the supply roll and the pressure-sensitive adhesive backing labels dispensed from the dispenser.